The Japan Times - UK police 'may' have shot victim killed in synagogue attack

The admission came as Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited the scene of Thursday's car ramming and stabbings. Two men were killed and three people were seriously wounded, heightening fears for Jewish communities across Britain.

"This was a dreadful attack, a terrorist attack to inflict fear, attacking Jews because they are Jews," the UK leader told a group of emergency responders in the northwest English city.

Security has been boosted at synagogues nationwide following the events at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue on Yom Kippur, the holiest holiday of the Jewish calendar.

Police shot dead the attacker, named as Jihad al-Shamie, a UK citizen of Syrian descent, within minutes of responding to calls that a car had ploughed into people and a security guard had been stabbed.

Greater Manchester Police named the two men killed as locals Adrian Daulby, 53, and Melvin Cravitz, 66.

On Friday, Chief Constable Stephen Watson said an interior ministry pathologist had "provisionally determined that one of the deceased victims would appear to have suffered a wound consistent with a gunshot injury".

Noting the attacker was not believed to have had a gun, and that "the only shots fired were from ... authorised firearms officers", Watson said the injury "may sadly have been sustained as a tragic and unforeseen consequence" of officers responding to the attack.

He added that the condition of the victim who was wounded by gunshot was not life threatening.

- Safety priority -

Watson said both suspected gunshot victims "were close together behind the synagogue door, as worshippers acted bravely to prevent the attacker from gaining entry".

The three victims in hospital remain in a serious condition, according to police.

Shamie, 35, had worn a vest holding an apparent explosive device, but it was not functional, police said.

The force have since arrested three others -- two men in their 30s and a woman in her 60s -- on suspicion of terrorism-linked offences.

The targeted synagogue's leaders said Friday "it is hard to find the words to convey the depth of our community's grief, as we try to process yesterday's act of unimaginable violence".

Their statement added "the greatest tribute" to the victims "would be for communities right across the country to come together in peace and solidarity, to challenge the evil of antisemitism".

A vigil was planned for the local area on Friday afternoon, while the Manchester United football club was to hold a minute's silence in honour of the victims at a game on Saturday.

It was one of the worst antisemitic attacks to happen in Europe since the October 7, 2023 assault on Israel led by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, which sparked the war in Gaza.

That conflict has inflamed passions in Britain, with frequent pro-Palestinian rallies in cities criticised by some for stoking antisemitism and fear in Jewish communities.

- 'Disappointed' -

A "global movement for Gaza UK" protest went ahead in London late Thursday, with police making 40 arrests.

London's Metropolitan Police requested organisers delay another planned demonstration backing the banned Palestine Action group on Saturday, but have so far been rebuffed.

Interior minister Shabana Mahmood said Thursday's rallies were "dishonourable" and criticised the weekend plans.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Friday echoed criticism of the UK government, saying on LBC radio it appeared to tolerate "this very brutal, aggressive and violent behaviour on the streets".

Ahead of visiting Manchester on Friday, Britain's Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis said the attack was the "tragic result of Jew hatred".

"For so long we have witnessed an unrelenting wave of Jew hatred on our streets, on campuses, on social media and elsewhere," he said on X.

"It's just horrendous", Zelma Harris, an 87-year-old resident of the multicultural area around the synagogue, told AFP. "It's antisemitism, and there'll always be."

K.Nakajima--JT